Poll: Is it worthwhile having a Facebook page for your translation business? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is it worthwhile having a Facebook page for your translation business?".
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I created a Facebook business page for my original writing - before I heard several author consultants say it's a waste of time. To attract a following, you have to do a lot of posting and outreach. It has to be kept fresh. And FB is always trying to get you to pay for ads. I inadvertently hit the wrong key and scheduled an expensive ad that they refused to cancel.
IMO, if you want to go to that much trouble to promote your business, Twitter is best. I have gotten interest and follo... See more I created a Facebook business page for my original writing - before I heard several author consultants say it's a waste of time. To attract a following, you have to do a lot of posting and outreach. It has to be kept fresh. And FB is always trying to get you to pay for ads. I inadvertently hit the wrong key and scheduled an expensive ad that they refused to cancel.
IMO, if you want to go to that much trouble to promote your business, Twitter is best. I have gotten interest and followers via Twitter, both translation contacts and people interested in my writing. I also believe that every translator should have a website.
[Edited at 2016-08-20 08:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I haven't got a clue about how worthwhile a facebook page is for any purpose. My understanding is that you must have one because 1 billion other people I don't know have one. And as a business, it must be gratifying to list how connected and social you are at the end of every page/communication. And animated icons are a killer. So I have one.
I hear that the new scale of success is measured in likes, views, followers, friends and subscribers, but can't figure out how worthwhile such a unit... See more I haven't got a clue about how worthwhile a facebook page is for any purpose. My understanding is that you must have one because 1 billion other people I don't know have one. And as a business, it must be gratifying to list how connected and social you are at the end of every page/communication. And animated icons are a killer. So I have one.
I hear that the new scale of success is measured in likes, views, followers, friends and subscribers, but can't figure out how worthwhile such a unit is either.
Social media are certainly very helpful for a lot of people, but I have never tried to show the slightest interest in them. It's probably a mistake, but so far with no aftermath whatsoever.
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Other (don't know) | Aug 20, 2016 |
I thought about it for a while, but for starters and much to everyone else's frustration I have no interest whatsoever in social media and then I have no time and disposition to manage a Facebook page, so…
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Pavel Slama 
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:48
Member (2014)
English to Czech
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| Words, words, words | Aug 20, 2016 |
All the people and companies creating their “social media presence” or “persona” and publishing “content”, which tends to be some recycled third-hand “interesting” stuff, bloggering and twittering – in some cases not even that, just some keyword puree. What a time to be alive in for someone for whom a wasted word is a sacrilege. (/rant over)
[Edited at 2016-08-20 12:12 GMT]
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 19:48
Member (2006)
German to English
I am saying no, but seeing as I do not have one or want one, I do not really no.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:48
English to Spanish
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| Universal connection is a farce | Aug 20, 2016 |
I did try to set up a FB page years ago, but like Muriel says, it takes a great deal of effort and time to keep it fresh. Self-appointed social media gurus among the American Translators Association members (I could name names but someone will rap my wrist) will advise you strongly to get SEO words on your website, create an active Facebook page, write a web blog on which you have to write a posting at least once monthly (otherwise, potential clients will think your blog is terrible), not to men... See more I did try to set up a FB page years ago, but like Muriel says, it takes a great deal of effort and time to keep it fresh. Self-appointed social media gurus among the American Translators Association members (I could name names but someone will rap my wrist) will advise you strongly to get SEO words on your website, create an active Facebook page, write a web blog on which you have to write a posting at least once monthly (otherwise, potential clients will think your blog is terrible), not to mention other colleagues who consider themselves marketing experts who, in their shared wisdom, will tell you that you have to create your brand and market it incessantly.
And I thought those who lost their money to the “Tulpenwoede” in the 1600s were stupid.
As far as I know, the only few people who have made their names profitable brands include Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera and Stephen King (the thriller novel writer).
One of the ills of globalization is the illusion that a) the Internet is free and b) the Internet connects everybody with everybody. The Internet does neither. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Luiz Barucke
Brazil
Local time: 14:48
Spanish to Portuguese
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I don't say this works for everyone, but I personally hate Facebook. I have an account for some (rare) communications, but I almost never access it.
I never got used to its way to "organize" information. It's totally chaotic for me.
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Sadek_A
Local time: 21:48
English to Arabic
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| To some extent | Aug 20, 2016 |
My FB pages brought me some good orders, and will continue to do so.
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When I looked for an accountant, I didn't dream of starting with Facebook. I can't imagine someone looking for a translator by scouring social media. It doesn't make sense.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 14:48
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Facebook is for fun, for gossiping, for spreading false or modified rumors, posting selfies and other childish things, that is, it's only for relaxing. If you try to use FB for professional purposes, you'll waste some valuable time for nothing.
When I published my book, I thought FB would help me a lot. All my friends liked it and said they would buy the book. I kept posting stretches of the book, answering questions, and receiving compliments, counting hundreds of 'likes' and 'shar... See more Facebook is for fun, for gossiping, for spreading false or modified rumors, posting selfies and other childish things, that is, it's only for relaxing. If you try to use FB for professional purposes, you'll waste some valuable time for nothing.
When I published my book, I thought FB would help me a lot. All my friends liked it and said they would buy the book. I kept posting stretches of the book, answering questions, and receiving compliments, counting hundreds of 'likes' and 'shares'. But that was as far as it went. The activities people develop in FB, remain in FB. If I could sell the book in FB, it would probably have sold many copies there, but expecting the FB users to step out of the box is an absolute waste of time.
[Edited at 2016-08-21 15:48 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sadek_A
Local time: 21:48
English to Arabic
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| Showcasing... | Aug 22, 2016 |
Clients find translation companies (as well as all sorts of service providers) through an abstract Google Search, so it isn't that weird for the same clients to directly find a translator through an informative social media profile. Otherwise, companies wouldn't be hectically hiring (and well-paying) social media managers.
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